Breastfeeding Saves Money, Saves Lives

Most parents enter labor expecting to breastfeed. Many are confronted with numerous challenges (some from the start, others as they go back to work) to continue breastfeeding throughout infancy.

A CNN news report highlights the challenges and public health importance of promoting and supporting new mothers in breastfeeding their baby throughout the first 6 months of their child's life.

This challenge makes me wonder how much of the problem is one of

• Biology - Moms physically aren't able to breastfeed their kids.
• Education - Moms don't know to breastfeed - exclusively - until their child reaches 6 months.
• Awareness - Moms don't know about the benefits/risk of breastfeeding - or not - on their child's health.
• Social - Relationships (partners, family members) and social norms interfere with moms' decision or ability to breastfeed.
• Structural/Political - Policies and structural factors like break time at work inhibit moms from being able to breastfeed or pump throughout the day.

As a quick aside: the new health care reform law makes it mandatory for employers to provide breaks to female workers who are lactating (i.e. breastfeeding). I expect that will begin to address some of the structural barriers mentioned above!

SE Asian Conference on Trafficking and HIV Begins

Tomorrow several international organizations kick-off the first "South East Asia Court of Women on HIV and Human Trafficking" in Bali, Indonesia. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Asian Women's Human Rights Council, Yakeba (a local NGO) among others are involved in the conference proceedings. This regional conference connects the human rights and public health implications of trafficking.

Dr. Jay Silverman, my supervisor, is in Bali for the conference. Our team is excited to have our recent report to the UNDP on sex trafficking and HIV in the region presented and released.

Needless to say there is much progress to be made. Human trafficking in South East Asia is widespread; the region is estimated to comprise 1/3 of cases worldwide. Empirical evidence, as well as narratives will be used to provide insight into the victims of such horrific indignities.

I hope to see concrete recommendations come out of the conference and be put into practice, either through policy-making, financing, or program development. Because of the transnational nature of trafficking, countries must work together for progress to be made.

For More on Trafficking in Southeast Asia:

• International Organization for Migration - SE Asia Report
  
• International Labour Organization - Mekong Subregion
• ECPAT International - East Asia

National Initiative to Stop Teen Dating Violence

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) just announced that Blue Shield of California Foundation and the Family Violence Prevention Fund will join with RWJF to help communities combat and control teen dating violence. The initiative called Start Strong targets kids aged 11 to 14 and the budget is big -- $18 million. However, this budget will be divided between 11 communities in the country.
If this sounds somewhat familiar it may be because you read my Society & Health post a few months back on the Teen Dating Violence Forum that was held by the Boston Public Health Commission (remember the Rihanna/Chris Brown event that put dating and intimate partner violence in the fore front of everyone's minds?).
Boston will be one of the communities funded for this initiative. And boy do we need it! I think every shooting and stabbing I hear about in this city (and I hear about it way too much...) is either gang-related or a case of intimate partner violence. I know...I should be scientific about this, but you can check out the stats at the BPHC website if you are interested.
The leadership of Start Strong in Boston seem up to the challenge before them. I am excited to see what kind of impact it has on the city and among young people. Maybe it will affect the same kids who hit me with an egg while I was riding home from work this week. (I had to throw that in there...true story.)

International Women's Month

Today I read Dina Habib Powell's commentary today on CNN.com about the changes that are being made in the US and around the world to educate and empower girls, and to promote female health. For example, the Obama administration has created the White House Council on Women and Girls, probably  similar to the Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach that was established during Bill Clinton's time in office.  

Powell cited the recent creation of an "ambassador-at-large for women's issues" at the State Department, which will be filled by Malanne Verveer who worked as an assistant to (former first lady) Hillary Clinton and is chair and co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership. A position that reflects the high priority of women in the administration; though some women's advocates do not think it goes far enough and that it should be a cabinet level position. 

Overall, this is something that women's health and human rights advocates are excited about. I hope that it allows our government policies to take an evidence-based approach towards women's reproductive health and to better consider the gender inequalities that women face around the world.